Karmein Chan was a 13-year-old Australian girl from Templestowe, Victoria who was abducted on the 13th of April in 1991 and subsequently murdered. [1]
While both her parents worked at their Chinese restaurant in Eltham, an individual abducted Karmein from the family home in Templestowe, locking her siblings in another room. Before leaving, he spray painted anti-Asian slogans on a vehicle in their front yard. Police suspect this was used to detract from the killer's real motive. Karmein's mother made an emotional plea on television for Karmein's return. The investigation was hampered by the use of an old school photo of Karmein, which may not have represented her true appearance at the time of her abduction. Her badly decomposed body was found a year later in Melbourne's northern outskirts in Edgars Creek, Thomastown.
This crime is believed to have been committed by a man aptly known only as Mr. Cruel, who despite much effort on the part of Victoria Police, has never been brought to justice.
On December 14, 2010 Victoria Police announced that a new Taskforce had been established about eight months earlier following substantial new intelligence. The new Taskforce has been reviewing both the Spectrum Taskforce investigation and some new leads that have come in the last year or so.[1]